From Unblinking Eyes
by animeloveramy
Summary: "Thank you Arthur. I am proud to have served you, and I am proud to have called you friend. No matter how much of a prat you were," Then his eyes flashed gold and he was lost to the flames. not slash. two-shot
1. Chapter 1

_**'A half cannot truly hate that which makes it whole.'**_

**The Great Dragon**

**oxo…oxo**

Tears fell from his unblinking eyes, watching as the fires of the pyre consumed his best friend. The last time he had cried like this had been when he was very young and he didn't remember shedding many more since. But this, this was too much. He felt like he was dying inside, and it hurt like hell.

He didn't know if he would be able to forgive his father for this.

Merlin had been caught using magic. At first Arthur had been sceptical but then, when it was confirmed, he was angry. Merlin had betrayed him, been lying to him. Though even through this anger he didn't believe Merlin deserved to die. He had been a good friend and he didn't know if he could handle watching him burn. He figured banishment was punishment enough.

But then he had found out what he had been using magic for when he was caught. He had been protecting him. He had been seen by one of the knights when out on a hunt. They had been cornered by bandits and the warlock had used his magic to stop one of them chopping the prince's head off while he had been distracted. Arthur hadn't even realised it had happened until Gaius relayed the story to him. The Knight in question had waited until they had gotten back from the hunt before telling the king what he had seen.

Arthur found he hated that knight more than anything in the world.

He had argued with his father, demanding he let his manservant go; reminding the king how many times Merlin had saved his life. Uther had ignored him, as usual, and when Arthur had vowed he would free his servant it had only managed to get him restrained and locked in his chambers.

It was there he stood now, watching the swirling orange flame as it licked the servant's feet. He didn't want to watch but found that he couldn't look away. Merlin had made no sound however, all the while just looking ahead. He hadn't fought, hadn't cried out. It was as if he had given up all hope.

As the flames grew, and the pain began to show on his face, Arthur couldn't hold back his anguished shout any longer, practically screaming his best friend's name.

"_Merlin!_"

The young warlock looked up in surprise, his eyes catching Arthur's own, pain filled ones with a look of shock and confusion. And that was when Arthur understood.

Merlin hadn't heard about the fact that Arthur had been confined to his room, under guard. He had thought he had been abandoned, had thought Arthur hated him. It tore him apart as he realised that Merlin could probably, very easily, have freed himself. But under the impression that Arthur hated him, he hadn't seen the point. It was the final straw.

"_Run Merlin!_" he shouted, "_escape damn you or so help me I'll kill you myself!_"

Merlin smiled, a sad smile tainted with pain, and before Arthur could do anything, his terror filled eyes locked with Merlin's strangely calm and tear filled ones, the flames grew higher. Arthur's eyes grew wider and more desperate at the sight and he was about to attempt to climb out the window and rescue himself when he heard Merlin's voice in his mind.

**"_Thank you Arthur. I am proud to have served you, and I am proud to have called you friend. No matter how much of a prat you were,"_**

Then his eyes flashed gold and he was lost to the flames.

**oxo...oxo**

**Dear readers,**

**Ok, this is a two shot, so there is another half to go. Said other half is already being written so should be done by tomorrow. Hopefully. Anyway, I hope you like it. Please review.**

**Animeloveramy**

**Very carefully checked as ordered ma'am *salutes***

**AnimeAiedail**


	2. Chapter 2

**Morgana – **_**so killing mends a broken heart does it?  
><strong>_**Arthur – **_**no but its good fun.**_

**oxo...oxo**

It was several years afterwards that Arthur had become king. He had never forgiven his father for the death of his friend, but he had pretended to. In his heart he knew the man had just been doing what he thought was right, but that didn't mean he was completely excused.

Camelot had been attacked by magic several times in the last few years of Uther's reign, but somehow they had managed to defeat them all. It was a miracle, and often Arthur had wondered if Merlin was looking down on them from wherever he was.

The prince had never been the same since that fateful day. A small part of him had died; a part of him that was irreplaceable. His life had become boring, dull and meaningless. Even Gwen failed to cheer him up at times.

After his coronation he had released the ban on magic. He knew that there were two sides to it, just as there were two ways of wielding a sword. You could use it to kill, or to protect. Magic was the same. So the city was peaceful and prosperous, but Arthur was missing a member of his court; the position of Court Sorcerer. There was only one person he would give that title to, and he was dead. So it stayed vacant.

That was, until the day another magical army attacked.

Arthur wasn't stupid. He knew he needed magic to defeat the likes or Morgana and Morgose. He had turned to the books for answers for the first time in his life, and had found the legends of Emrys and the once and future king. As soon as Gaius had confirmed that the stories were true Arthur had left immediately, giving Gaius no time to complete his explanation and leaving the physician gaping as he tried to comprehend that Arthur had just swooped past him. Emrys would be able to help them, Arthur was sure of it.

So he and his trusted knights left Camelot in search of this legend. With no real idea where to start they asked around in the towns before seeking out the druids. It was the druids that were most helpful and they found him in the first druid camp they came across...but what they saw they could hardly believe.

"Merlin?"

Merlin smiled as he looked up at his friend, his usual grin begging to form as he took in the crown on his head and the knights by his side.

"My king,"

Arthur found he could not say anything as he tried to convince himself that what he was seeing was real. The man before him was older than he remembered, having developed wrinkles around his eyes that hadn't been there before. But they were laughter lines, and something that Arthur could say he was glad to see. At least his servant hadn't been miserable in his self exile. He was dressed in a large cloak of the druids, his hood down around his shoulders, and seemed to be wearing the same style clothes he always had; including the red neckerchief.

"You…you were dead!" he gasped out, staring at Merlin in complete and utter shock. Merlin's grin faltered slightly and he looked away, a saddened expression on his face as he thought about what he had done.

"No…I would have been though. I was fully prepared to die."

Arthur looked at him in confusion as Merlin looked back at him, meeting his eyes with an expression that showed a large amount of guilt.

"Why?"

Merlin smiled slightly.

"Because I thought you wanted me dead. It was only afterwards that I found out that you had been forbidden from leaving the room because you had sworn to free me," his smile grew, "thanks for that by the way."

Arthur nodded slightly. "I'm sorry that I couldn't help you. I wanted to."

"I know."

There was silence as the pair regarded each other, before Arthur sprang forwards quickly and pulled his friend into a hug. It took a moment before Merlin hugged him back, so surprised was he at the king's show of emotions.

"I've missed you Merlin," he told his friend in a low voice, making it so Merlin was the only one who could hear. There was silence for a moment before there was a low chuckle from the warlock.

"I've missed you to, you royal prat"

Arthur pulled back with a raised eyebrow before clearing his throat awkwardly when he realised the crowed that had gathered around them, avoiding everyone's eyes. Merlin grinned.

"Well, _Mer_lin, as much as I loath to admit this; we need your help." The blonde said, falling easily back into their old routine with a small burst of euphoria. Merlin's grin widened and he snorted.

"Of course you do. You always do. You just can't look after yourself."

Arthur raised an eyebrow, trying his hardest to keep his own grin off his face.

"Merlin?"

"Shut up?"

"You've got it."

**oxo…oxo**

**Dear readers,**

**I was going to write a little bit more but it just seemed to work finishing there…I hope you all like it, I think I do. Sort of. But please, tell me what you think in a review please. They make my day, they honestly do. **

**Animeloveramy **

**I thought watching me make a prat of myself by chuckling in a quiet library betaing this made your day?**

**AnimeAiedail**


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